Flexible circuit board connector engaging structure

ABSTRACT

A flexible circuit board connector engaging structure capable of preventing a movable cover from disengaging with an insulation body includes inverted L-shaped ribs at front ends of flanks at the movable cover and for retaining movements of the movable cover. When the movable cover is moved to a located position, the inverted L-shaped ribs are retained by block panels of locating members, such that the movable cover cannot be further pulled outward. Meanwhile, front sections of the flanks at the movable cover are also tugged by the block panels of the locating members without being expanded outward, thereby preventing deformation and bending of the flanks at the movable cover as well as preventing the movable cover disengaging from the flexible circuit board connector. Thus, lifespan of the flexible circuit board connector is prolonged while also enhancing electric connection between a flexible flat cable (FFC) and the flexible circuit board connector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a flexible circuit board connector engagingstructure, and more particularly, to flexible circuit board connectorcapable of preventing disengagement of a movable cover thereof.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a prior flexible circuit boardconnector 10 comprises a longitudinal insulation body 11 (or a plasticcore) accommodated with a U-shaped movable cover 12 (or a rear cover).The prior flexible circuit board connector 10 is disposed on a printedcircuit board (PCB) 70 to become electrically connected with a flexibleflat cable (FFC) 80.

Each of two side walls of the insulation body 11 is provided with asliding track 11 a serving as sliding guidance. Each sliding track 11 ais extended with a locating block member 11 b at a front end thereof.The insulation body 11 further has an embedding recess 14 and aplurality of channels 15 at an interior thereof, with each channel 15being in communication with the embedding recess 14. A plurality ofinsertion terminals 50 is inlaid in the individual channels 15 one afteranother. When inserted in the embedding recess 14, the FFC 80 iselectrically connected with the insertion terminals 50, and also withPCB 70 via the insertion terminals 50.

Right and left sides of the movable cover 12 are made of flanks 13 eachhaving a sliding member 13 b at a front end thereof. The left and rightflanks 13 are joined with a press plate 16 such that the movable cover12 appears as a U-shaped body. When the flanks 13 at the left and rightsides of the movable cover 12 are accommodated into the sliding tracks11 a at the two side walls of the insulation body 11 using the slidingmembers 13 b at the front ends thereof, a flexible circuit boardconnector 10 is formed by the movable cover 12 and the insulation body11.

Using a set of sliding mechanism developed from the sliding members 13 bat the movable cover 12 and the sliding tracks 11 a at the insulationbody 11, the movable cover 12 of the prior flexible circuit boardconnector 10 can be drawn for coverage. Meanwhile, when the movablecover 12 is drawn, the sliding members 13 b thereof come into contactwith the locating block members 11 b at the front ends of the slidingchannels 11 a of the insulation body 11, and a certain distance betweenthe movable cover 12 and the insulation body 11 is limited. Thus, notonly the movable cover 12 is prevented from being disengaged with theinsulation body 11, but also an opening of the embedding recess 14 atthe insulation body 11 remains totally exposed and unshielded by thepress plate 16, so as to facilitate insertion of the FFC 80 into theembedding recess 14 at the insulation body 11. When the movable cover 12is closed and located tightly relative to the insulation body 11, thepress plate 16 of the movable cover 12 is extended into embedding recess14 at the insulation body 11, such that the FEC 80 is pressed by thepress plate 16 and steadily positioned in the embedding recess 14 at theinsulation body to become electrically connected with the insertionterminals 50.

However, because the left and right sides of the aforesaid U-shapedmovable cover 12 are provided with flanks 13, which are long and narrowplate-like structures and are necessarily disposed with the protrudingsliding members 13 b, a thickness of the flanks 13 cannot be too largeand is even considered rather inadequate. Therefore, when encounteringexternal forces, deformation or bending of the flanks 13 is oftenresulted after being used. When forces for drawing the movable cover 12get slightly excessive, the sliding members 13 b at the left and rightsides of the flanks 13 frequently become unlocked with and no longerretained by the locating block members 1lb. Consequently, the movablecover 12 is disengaged from the insulation body 11 to leave the priorflexible circuit board connector 10 inapplicable. Even if the slidingmembers 13 b at the movable cover 12 are again accommodated into thesliding channels 11 a of the insulation body 11, due to deformation orbending of the flanks 13 at the movable cover 12, the FFC 80 fails to besteadily located in the embedding recess 14 at the insulation body 11,and poor electric connection between the FFC 80 and the flexible circuitboard connector 10 is incurred.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the invention is to provide a flexible circuitboard connector capable of preventing disengagement of a movable coverthereof, so as to prohibit the movable cover of the flexible circuitboard connector from disengaging from an insulation body and therebyovercoming drawbacks of a prior flexible circuit board connector.

The secondary object of the invention is to provide a flexible circuitboard connector capable of preventing disengagement of a movable coverthereof, in that flanks of the movable cover are provided with invertedL-shaped ribs for retaining movements of the movable cover. When themovable cover is drawn to reach a located position, the invertedL-shaped ribs at the movable cover are also retained such that themovable cover cannot be pulled further. Front sections of the flanks atthe movable cover are also tugged by block panels of locating members,and are thus not expanded outward or moved. As a result, the flanks atthe movable cover are prevented from deformation or bending, therebylengthening usage lifespan of the flexible circuit board connector aswell as enhancing electric connection between a flexible flat cable(FFC) and the flexible board circuit connector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view illustrating a prior flexible circuitboard connector 10 in use.

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the flexible circuit board connector 10in FIG. 1 taken along a sectional line 2—2, and illustrates that themovable cover 12 is easily disengaged from the insulation body 11 whenbeing drawn.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective schematic view of the flexible circuit boardconnector 20 according to the invention.

FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of parts in the flexible circuit boardconnector 20 according to the invention.

FIG. 5 shows a view according to the invention in use when the movablecover 40 is drawn.

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of FIG. 5 taken along a sectional line6—6. When the movable cover 40 is drawn, the locating member 60 locatesthe movable cover and prevents the two side flanks 42 at the movablecover 40 from disengaging with the insulation body 30.

FIG. 7 shows a view of the flexible circuit board connector 10 accordingto the invention in use when the movable cover 40 is closed.

FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of FIG. 7 taken along a sectional line8—8, and illustrates that the insertion terminals 50 of the flexiblecircuit board connector 20 are steadily in electric connection with theFFC 80.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a flexible circuit board connector 20according to the invention comprises a longitudinal insulation body 30,a U-shaped movable cover 40, a plurality of insertion terminals 50, anda pair of locating members 60.

The insulation body 30 has internal structures identical to those of aprior invention and includes an embedding recess 32 and a plurality ofchannels for placing the insertion terminals 50. Each of two side wallsof the insulation body 30 is provided with a sliding track 33 serving assliding guidance. Each sliding track 33 is extended with a block member33 a at a front end thereof.

The insulation body 30 further has an indented embedding slot 34 at anarea near each of two sides of a obverse 31 thereof. Each embedding slot34 may be devised as a groove penetrated trough the insulation body 30,or as a groove having a certain depth at a lower plane of the insulationbody 30. However, positions of the embedding slots 34 have no undesiredeffects on the sliding tracks 33 at the two side walls of the insulationbody, and also leave the embedding recess 32 at the insulation body 30undamaged.

The obverse plane 31 of the insulation body 30 is formed with anextended flange 35 at a middle portion at each of two sides thereof, soas to develop into another embodiment according to the invention.

The movable cover 40 is a U-shaped structure consisted of a press plate41 and flanks 42 at two sides of the press plate 41. Each flank 42 isprovided with an inverted L-shaped rib 42 a at an outer front portionthereof, a guiding track 42 b at an inner side thereof, and a slidingmember 42 c at an inner front portion thereof. In addition, each guidingtrack 42 b has a depth approximating a thickness at two sides of theobverse plane 31 of the insulation body 30. A distance between theguiding tracks 42 b at the two sides of the movable cover 40 is slightlylarger than that between the left and right sides of the obverse plane31 of the insulation body 30.

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, when the sliding members 42 c of the flanks42 at the left and right sides of the movable cover 40 are individuallyaccommodated into the sliding tracks 33 at the two side walls of theinsulation body 30, the left and right sides of the obverse plane 31 ofthe insulation body 30 are placed at the guiding tracks 42 b at the leftand right sides of the movable cover 40. When the movable cover 40 isdrawn or closed, apart from the sliding members 42 c of the movablecover 40 sliding relatively in the sliding tracks 33 a of the insulationbody 30, the guiding tracks 42 b of the movable cover 40 also haveeffects of guiding the movable cover 40 to slide smoothly. Similarly,with reference to FIGS. 3, 5 and 7, in order to enable insulation body30 having the obverse plane 31 with the flanges 35 at the two sides tobe placed on the guiding tracks 42 b at the two sides of the movablecover 40, the guiding tracks 42 of the movable cover 40 may also beutilized for guiding and locating the movable cover 40. Thus, eachguiding track 42 b of the movable cover 40 is excavated with a flangeindenture 42 e at a middle section of a vertical plane thereof forcorresponding with a shape of each flange 35, and is also formed with anindenture 42 e at a rear section of the vertical plane thereof. When themovable cover 40 is drawn, the indentures 42 e are for accommodating theflanges 35 of the insulation body 30 as shown in FIG. 7. When themovable cover 40 is closed, the flanges 35 of the insulation body 30 areentered into the flanges indentures 42 d to indicate that the movablecover 40 has reached a located position as shown in FIG. 7.

The locating members 60 are integrals with a lower panel 61, a presspanel 62 and block panel 63 in structure. Wherein, the lower panel 61 isa horizontal rectangular plate, and the press panel 62 and the blockpanel 63 are vertical plates having a certain distance in between andbeing parallel to each other. Furthermore, the press panels 62 are bentand formed at a side of the lower panel 61. A vertical plane of eachpress panel 62 has a width slightly smaller than that of the embeddingslots 34, and therefore the press panels 62 of the locating members 60can be placed into the embedding slots 34 of the insulation body 30

According to the aforesaid descriptions and with reference to FIGS. 5 to8, for an assembly of the locating member 60, the insulation body 30,the movable cover 40 and the plurality of insertion terminals 50 intothe flexible circuit board connector 20 according to the invention, whenthe movable cover 40 is drawn to a located position, the invertedL-shaped ribs 42 a at the front ends of the left and right side flanks42 of the movable cover 40 are retained by the block panels 63 of thelocating members 60 and cannot be moved further in a direction beingpulled. Moreover, outer front portions of the flanks 42 at the movablecover 40 are also tugged by the block panels 63 of the locating members60, thereby preventing the movable cover 40 from disengaging with theinsulation body 30.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 8 showing an embodiment according to theinvention, the flexible circuit board connector 20 comprises alongitudinal insulation body 30, a U-shaped movable cover 40, aplurality of insertion terminals 50, and a pair of locating members 60.By welding the lower panels 61 of the locating members 60, the flexiblecircuit board connector 20 is mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB)70.

To put the invention to use, referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the movablecover 60 is drawn until it cannot be linearly moved further. At thispoint, the inverted L-shaped ribs 42 a at the outer front ends of theflanks 42 at the movable cover 42 come into contact with the blockmembers 63 of the locating members 60, thereby locating the movablecover 40. Meanwhile, the front sections of the flanks 42 at the movablecover 40 are retained by the block members 63 having confining effects,and hence the flanks 42 at the movable cover 40 are prevented frombending or deformation as well as avoiding the movable cover 40 fromdisengaging with the insulation body 30.

When the a flexible flat cable (FFC) 80 is inserted into the embeddingrecess 32 at the insulation body 30 to become electrically connectedwith the insertion terminals 50 therein, a reverse procedure isperformed to push the movable cover 40 to the insulation body 30 forlocation. That is, the flanges 35 of the insulation body 30 are placedinto the flange indentures 42 d at the movable cover 40. At this point,the press plate 41 is extended into the embedding recess 32 of theinsulation body 30 to stabilize the FFC 80 in the embedding recess 32,thereby forming good electric connection between the FFC 80 and the PCB70.

It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described hereinare merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that awide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilledin the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas set forth in the following claims.

1. A flexible circuit board connector engaging structure comprising alongitudinal insulation body, a U-shaped movable cover, a plurality ofinsertion terminals, and a pair of locating members; wherein: theinsulation body has a sliding track at each of two sides thereof, and anexcavated embedding slot at a position near each sides of obverse planethereof; the movable cover has left and right sides formed by flanks,which are provided with sliding members at inner front portions thereofand inverted L-shaped ribs at outer front portions thereof, with thesliding members of the flanks accommodated in the sliding tracks of theinsulation body; and the pair of locating members are integral with alower panel, a press panel and a block panel in structure; the lowerpanel is a horizontal plate, and the press panel and the block panel arevertical plates having a certain distance in between and being parallelto each other; the press panel is bent and formed at a side of the lowerpanel; and the press panel of the locating member is placed into theembedding slot of the insulation body, such that the block panel hasconfining effects upon the inverted L-shaped ribs of the movable coverwhen the movable cover is drawn in position.
 2. The flexible circuitboard connector engaging structure in, accordance with claim 1, whereineach flank at the movable cover is provided with a guiding track at aninner side thereof and a sliding member at an inner front portionthereof.
 3. The flexible circuit board connector engaging structure inaccordance with claim 2, wherein an obverse plane of the insulation bodyis formed wit an extended flange at a middle portion at each of twosides thereof, and each guiding track of the movable cover is excavatedwith a flange indenture at a middle section of a vertical plane thereof.4. The flexible circuit board connector engaging structure in accordancewith claim 1, wherein the embedding slots of the insulation body aregrooves penetrated through the insulation body.
 5. The flexible circuitboard connector engaging structure in accordance with claim 2, whereinthe embedding slots of the insulation body are grooves penetratedthrough the insulation body.
 6. The flexible circuit board connectorengaging structure in accordance with claim 3, wherein the embeddingslots of the insulation body are grooves penetrated through theinsulation body.
 7. The flexible circuit board connector engagingstructure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the locating members aresymmetrical structures.
 8. The flexible circuit board connector engagingstructure in accordance with claim 2, wherein the locating members aresymmetrical structures.
 9. The flexible circuit board connector engagingstructure in accordance with claim 3, wherein the locating members aresymmetrical structures.